1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to body jacket type orthoses for limiting motion in thoracic or lumbosacral areas, and more particularly to a rigid orthosis which can be easily donned and doffed by the elderly and the handicapped.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although body jackets have been known and used for many years in the treatment and rehabilitation of the spine, elderly, injured, and handicapped persons have experienced difficulty in putting on rigid orthoses, generally requiring assistance. It is known to use corset lacings and corset buckles in combination with soft, flexible orthoses to provide even adjustment and an easy release. For example, the buckle taught by Camp in U.S. Pat. No. 2,053,600 has improved the adjustment of non-rigid orthoses. Using the Camp buckle, corset lacings threaded through the buckle are adjusted with the orthosis on the patient. The buckle straps are attached to the orthosis with snaps, permitting ease of removal and reinstallation. However, when buckles and snaps are applied to a rigid orthosis, it is found that the snaps do not hold due to the rigidity of the material.
One attempt of this approach is the Raney Flexion Jacket.RTM.. Corset lacing on one side secures the anterior section to the posterior section and once adjusted, is permanently fixed. The other side is attached by two straps, resulting in a body jacket that is difficult to put on. When the straps are tightened, the opposing side may rotate or twist toward the last adjusted strap. For many patients, this design requires two people to properly position the orthosis. Thus, many elderly and handicapped patients are unable to don the jacket.
A rigid body jacket is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,327 having a number of straps for connecting right and left sections with the straps secured to the jacket with Velcro.RTM. strips. The necessity for adjusting straps both front and rear prevents use by many patients without assistance in doffing and donning the orthosis.
Thus, there is a long felt need for a body jacket type rigid orthosis which can be adjusted on the patient and then easily removed and replaced by the patient without disturbing the adjustment.